Returning To Biking On A Bonneville T100

Welcome to the forum!
For the first few rides take it steady and don't get overtired, traffic flows have changed in 12 years and also road surfaces, neither for the better!

Keep alert and at least get a new properly fitting helmet. The T100 is a wonderful bike, what model year is yours? Let us see some photos.

Ride it for a few months before you add any farkles! Best of luck and happy riding!

 

@THEMike
Welcome to the family. Yes as above. Just take it easy. Get to know the bike and what it is capable of. As for riding it comes back straight away couple of rides and it will be like you never stopped. Do hit the upload a file button bottom right and show of the new toy. Of course when you stop playing. There is so much stuff out there and you can really change your bike to what ever you like. I always consider the seat as I like more comfort. Joe

 

Hi there! Welcome to the forum!
Get slowly used to your bike and enjoy every moment!

 

Hi and welcome, the guy’s have said it all. Most of all enjoy your new ride.

 

Not to steal anyone's thunder. But. I too recently purchased a 2022 T100 with 400 miles on it. Its sitting in the garage waiting for decent weather. I have not ridden a bike since about 1970. 54 YEARS!

Not to worry. I am taking the two day skills course this weekend. Depending on how that goes, I will either move forward and start riding again, or I'll sell the bike and move on with other things.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying wrenching on it a bit. I added a center stand and I will be adding a set of motone crash bars, a sump guard, and a rear grab rail.

 

No turning back now!

 

Good luck what ever you decide.

 

Love that color. I ended up with the gold line and, while I do like the gold line, I prefer your color scheme. Enjoy.

 

Welcome to both of you to the forum and to riding your T100s.

@THEMike, in addition to the good advice already given, I'd suggest adding a windshield to your gorgeous green bike. It took me a long time to put one on my T100 but am glad I did, even though I'm still working out the best adjustment to it. It's made a huge difference in highway riding, which isn't my favorite but sometimes necessary. Congratulations and I hope you love your bike.

@rpg51, taking the class is a super thing to do. The nice thing about the T100 is it can be fun riding as tame as you like and it has plenty of pep (third gear, anyone?) to put a huge grin on your face.

 

Welcome back!! Your T100 is very smart. No tips other than the usual "ride to your abilities" line. The T100s and T120s are so easy to ride, as you've probably already found out. They are also very forgiving and handle our country's atrocious roads with ease.

Happy riding!

 

Nice bike. Enjoy. Joe

 

Thanks. I am expecting some bad words to come out of my mouth while installing the Motone bars. I don't like the look of most crash bars. The Motone bars are a bit less offensive to me for some reason. We shall see. I considered passing on bars altogether. Thought better of it. I might pull them off after a year or so when I hopefully get over the high risk drop days! I took the two day basic rider course last weekend and passed. So, here we go!

 

Absolutely beautiful bike

good idea on installing the bars

enjoy and safe riding !

 

I just got back from my first short ride on a motorbike in about 50 years. Had to get the vehicle inspection done.

This is such a smooth sweet bike. What a joy. I just have to get used to the weight under 5mph. At speed it is so smooth and responsive to slight counter steering pressure in the curves. I need to take it slow. It will come. I love this bike.

 

I installed the Motone crash bars Saturday. I spent about two hours trying to get an open ended shorty wrench on the backing nuts. What a knuckle buster. Blood was shed. I was able to get the nuts off, but getting the nuts on the the bolts torqued with the bars in place was pretty much impossible. Finally, just as I was about to throw in the towel, I pulled out a pair of angled needle nose pliers, and that tool did the trick, they provided easy access and enough grip to torque all the bolts up to 40nm. Wish I thought of that two hours earlier. If you use a pair of angled needle nose pliers the job is about a half hour start to finish.

 

At first ride by yourself.....joining other riders usually means stretching your self....if new or had a long lay off.

to be honest.....I usually ride with 2 other lots of people....who both ride faster than me.....one not so much....the other quite a bit....I think my more relaxed pace iratest him.

I am considering stopping riding with them....or at least the faster of the 2 and riding solo.....I cant make my mind up.....its great to have company....but not as relaxed.

Last ride out with the faster a week ago...his pal came....he is a track day guy....I stupidly tried to keep up.....making over taking moves I would never normally.....I was very annoyed with myself after that.

If I do ride with these people.....its upto them.....they either ride slower.....or I will see them when we get were we are going.

Ride safe.....make your self seen....I wear a full hi viz over vest...long sleeves to help me been seen.

Yes I look like an old fart but I dont care.

Nick in the UK.

 

Yes that's the best advice. I ride like i ride my bike my pace if you don't like it then of you go i will meet you there. I ride sometimes with my two boys who are faster riders. I just let them go and sooner or later they show up again either waiting or went back and caught me up. No need to do things i don't want to do. @joe mc donald